JIM FUGLIE: View From The Prairie — Halek Sentencing Delayed Again

If you’ve been following the saga of Jason Halek on my blog for the last four years, you know that on July 31 he was supposed to be sent off to jail for dumping 800,000 gallons of poisonous oilfield brine down an abandoned well south of Dickinson. I last wrote about him on April 13, the day he pleaded guilty to three felonies, committed in late 2012 and early 2013. I ended that with the words “I’ll report back July 31.”

Well, July 31 has come and gone, and no sentencing yet. Judge Daniel Hovland in the U.S. District Court here postponed sentencing until Oct. 11. I’m not sure why, but when I read through the court docket on the case I learned that on July 19, Halek’s attorney, Alex Reichert of Grand Forks, filed a motion for an extension of time to object to the presentence investigation report. I’m guessing that Reichert’s motion was approved, based on the postponement of sentencing.

Halek’s associate, and the guy who fingered him, Nathan Garber, was also scheduled to be sentenced that day, but his sentencing date has also been moved to Oct. 11. He’s going to get off easy, I think, because Halek was the guy the government really wanted, and Garber gave him up.

But let me just say that I am confused about the delay in sentencing, since Halek appeared in court April 12, and when asked by Hovland how he pleaded, he said “Guilty, your honor.” I guess Hovland called for a presentence investigation, but I missed that. And I guess that’s the reason for the delay.

This is now the 10th article I’ve written about this case, and it looks like there will be one more, on or about Oct. 11. It’s actually been a little bit of fun, which it shouldn’t be, because what this guy did is serious business, serious enough to send him to a federal prison for up to three years for violating our country’s Safe Drinking Water Act.

But I’ve had some fun correspondence, from people I don’t know, who have read the blog stories and got in touch with me. Like this one from a guy in Mexico:

“I had the misfortune of working with Jason Halek in Texas where I finally met with him and his dad one morning and told them they were ripping off investors … and they promptly fired me. Best thing that happened to me for sure. I read with interest he may go to jail soon. Would love an update if possible. I would enjoy being there to hear the judge pass sentence too! Keep up the good work … this man is an amazing scam artist and I hope he goes to jail.” (He sent me his phone number and e-mail address, so I will let him know when something happens.)

NOTE: Last I heard, Halek is still on the hook for $22 million he ripped off from those investors. Oh, and he’s still on the hook for about a million and a half dollars in North Dakota fines. Remember that big, black headline back in 2013 screaming “$1.5 Million Fine” on the front page of North Dakota newspapers? As far as I can tell, Halek hasn’t paid a penny of that — the state has received $40,000 from the bond company that Halek engaged when he went into business here, and that’s it. He still owes of most of that $1.5 million. He’s been selling used cars lately. Gonna take a lot of used cars to clean that up. And he probably won’t have much income for the next few years.

And then just this week, I had a Facebook message from someone I don’t know, and I responded. Here’s the conversation:

MON 12:21PM Steph BL: Did Jason Halek get sentenced yet?

MON 3:41PM: Me: Sentencing postponed to Oct. 11.

MON 3:42PM Steph BL: Wow it just keeps dragging on. I was his first girlfriend in 1994 and have been following his story. Lol. Thanks for the reporting. He gets out of everything it seems.

MON 5:23PM Me: Well he has a good lawyer, but I’m guessing he’s going to the pokey for a couple years. We’ll see.

MON 5:24 Steph BL: Probably what he needs in order to hopefully wake him up. He thinks he’s untouchable invinceable (sic). A true narcissist. I think I probably dodged a bullet when he dumped me. Lol.

Ya think, Steph?

Stay tuned.

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Jim Fuglie

Jim Fuglie is a native of Hettinger, ND, a U.S. Navy veteran (1968-1972) and majored in communications at Dickinson State College (now Dickinson State University) in Dickinson, ND. He has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor, as a speechwriter and communications director for North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Myron Just and as Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party. He worked at the Herald from late 1975 to early 1976.
In 1985, Jim was appointed North Dakota Tourism Director by Governor George Sinner and served in that post until 1992. He later worked as Development Director for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation and as public relations director for Kranzler Kingsley Communications in Bismarck. He retired in 2009, and he and his wife Lillian, the retired Director of Library Services at Dickinson State University, now live in Bismarck and spend much of their time exploring the back roads and trails of the North Dakota Bad Lands.
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I worked with Jason halek as a mud logger on several wells in texas. he is by far the most irresponsible oil operator I have ever worked with. on last well I did for him he stiffed me and every service company that worked on that well. he didn’t pay drilling contractor $750,000, me for $18,000, mud company $160,000 etc. none of us received any money as far as I know. I will never know why he isn’t in jail in texas for numerous fraud charges and multiple law suits stemming from scamming investors. sec filed several fraud charges against him also which to date have never come to anything. his ability to weasel out of and prolong prosecution amazes me. for a guy who claims to have no money he seems to be able to hire some very good legal advice. I am truly surprised that someone hasn’t killed him since I am sure he has completely ruined a lot of peoples lives by swindling them out of their entire savings. 3 years would be a slap on the wrist and an insult to those he has left ruined in his wake.